Fight for 15 in Portland

Bill Resnick talks with organizer Justin Norton-Kertson about the campaign to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. They discuss the benefits of raising the floor for all workers and preserving social welfare spending for those unable to work, as well as the origins of the movement in Chicago, its victories in SeaTac and Seattle, and the relation between the national and local campaigns, both of which have excellent websites (https://www.15now.org/ and http://www.15nowpdx.org/). They discuss recent actions in Portland and the kinds of solidarity workers can show without risk to their jobs. Bill and Justin debunk the myth that raising the minimum wage would cost jobs and hurt the economy by noting that states that have raised their minimum wages have seen better economic growth. Finally, they discuss some of the international dimensions of the movement.